Expect Excitement From Great Field

Dave Fairbank

July 21, 2007|By DAVE FAIRBANK Daily Press

The horse won the last time out at Colonial Downs, nosing out a budding rival in a memorable duel, and is the only one eligible for a $2 million performance bonus. For this, Summer Doldrums is rated no better than the third choice in today's Virginia Derby.

Summer Doldrums' place among the morning line odds speaks to the quality of the field in the $1 million Derby, more than any perceived shortcomings he may exhibit.

The 10-horse field has five graded stakes winners, and the other five entries have won races this year.

The most intriguing entry is also the morning line favorite. Circular Quay, which finished sixth in the Kentucky Derby and fifth in the Preakness, is trained by Todd Pletcher and makes his debut on turf.

"Who knows what changes as he's changing surfaces," Violette said. "You know, he might love it and end up being the next star on the grass, or he might want to turn around and go the other way and put his head down and graze instead of run. So we'll find out what happens."

Strike A Deal is the second favorite. He defeated Summer Doldrums by a nose at Belmont in early May before Summer Doldrums returned the favor last month at the Colonial Turf Cup at Colonial Downs.

The depth of field suggests that another stretch-run duel to the wire is unlikely.

"Stranger things have happened," Violette said. "It wouldn't surprise me if it didn't happen, but I wouldn't stand there agape wondering how it could have happened the third time in a row. They are two very, very high-quality horses that given a fair trip, I think, are fairly evenly matched."

Summer Doldrums has won three times this year and has been in the money in five of six races, though he is making only his third start on turf.

"Even on the dirt, he's been a very, very accommodating horse," Violette said. "I call him a little Ferrari. He's got a bunch of gears. The riders can move to secure a position and go back into neutral, and then move again to either maintain it or to get out to a different spot and then kind of put their hands down and go back into neutral.

"That's a very, very useful tool for a rider to have, when you're not locked into being a speedball or having to lay second or third, or just having a stone-cold, one-run horse -- that when you move he's going to give you his good quarter-mile run and then he kind of goes into a grind."

Behind the top three, Inca King is unbeaten in three races on grass. Duveen has wins on grass in two of his last three starts, all Grade III stakes races, and jockey Edgar Prado has won three Virginia Derbies.

Deep and talented as the Derby field is, the best horse on the grounds today may be running one race earlier. Dreaming of Anna is the morning line favorite in the $200,000 Virginia Oaks.

She won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies last year and the Eclipse Award as best in her class. She has won five of nine starts and set the Colonial Downs track record for 51/2 furlongs in last year's Tippett Stakes.

All of that should make for a showcase day at the Downs, whose signature turf course has become a draw for owners and trainers.

Owner Jeff Jacobs' Grand Slam of Grass, with its seven-figure payout to any horse that wins four designated turf races, is more tease than legitimate goal. But increases in turf-race purses haven't hurt.

"It was only a few years ago that if you had a good 3-year-old turf horse, you were still trying to run on the dirt because there was no money available," Violette said. "You were (running) $50,000, $65,000 and maybe $100,000 races. And while that's not chicken feed, it's certainly not the potential gain that was being offered on the dirt.

"For a long time, you were almost penalized if you had a turf horse. You had limited opportunities across the board. But certainly as 3-year-olds now, you can buy a young horse that might be pigeonholed as a turf horse and still be able to come out on top financially for your owners."

Which means that Violette's horse, Summer Doldrums, doesn't have to win to succeed.

"As long as he gives us an 'A' effort, that's all I'm concerned with," Violette said. "And I'd rather, to be honest with you, I'd rather they write about us in the Sunday papers (than) be on the front cover of the racing form on Saturday. If they're talking about us after the race, that's usually a good thing."

Dave Fairbank can be reached at 247-4637 or by e-mail at dfairbank@dailypress.com *